Race Coverage

Race Coverage

RACE Coverage

Gobi March Home

Community Challenge: Mongolian Bankhar Dog Project

With generous donations from RacingThePlanet Community Challenge participants, we are very happy to support the Mongolian Bankhar Dog Project which researches, breeds, and trains Mongolian Bankhar livestock protection dogs. They place the working dogs in homes of nomadic herding families on the Mongolian steppe, where the Bankhar perform their traditional role of protecting livestock herds against snow leopards, wolves, foxes and eagles.

With your donations, we are able to provide a fully trained Bankhar dog to a nomadic Mongolian herder. You can watch this video to get a better understanding of the Mongolain Bankhar Dog Project. It is so much more than just protecting livestock, but also preserving ancient Mongolian traditions and helping to slow down the desertification of the Mongolian Grassland Steppes.We are also excited that the family who may receive the Bankhar is closely linked to our very own RacingThePlanet Community. Some of you may know Jacqueline Eastridge, she is a 4 Deserts Club member, regular volunteer, and a woman who likes to do good things in the world. From 2018 - 2020 Jacqueline volunteered with the US PeaceCorps and lived in Mongolia with her host family who looked after her while she was teaching at the local school.

   

During her time with the host family, she learned much about Mongolian culture, including the need to be able to properly take care of livestock. She also spent time volunteering at the Mongolia Bankhar Dog Project and knows first hand the amazing work that they do. Jacqueline's Mongolian family has lost livestock to wolves (which are common in Mongolia, and stay away from people, but not from livestock) and is in need of a Bankhar dog to protect their flock. We are hoping that our donation will be able to directly contribute to the family which Jacqueline knows so well. Below you will see a collection of photos showing Jacqueline's family and the livestock they care for. The Mongolian family lives very close to the Gobi March course, and we hope to welcome them to the finish line of the Gobi March 2023!